WEBVTT HEDARING RESCUE.SIOBHAN: LUCKILY, THE POLICEOFFICER AND THE DOG ARE SAFE ANDSOUND TONIGHT, BUT IT WAS ASCARY FEW MINUTES FOR THEDEPARTMENT WHEN THAT OFFICERFIRST FELL THROUGH THE ICE.THE CALL CAME IN ABOUT A DOGFALLING THROUGH ICE ON THECOCHECO RIVER AROUND 10:30 THISMORNING.A POLICE OFFICER SPOTTED THE DOGOUT IN THE WATER AND WENT OUTACROSS THE ICE TO GET TO IT, BUTTHAT'S WHEN HE HIT THIN ICE ANDWENT UNDER.LUCKILY, THE OFFICER WAS ABLE TOTREAD WATER AND GET HIMSELF ANDTHE DOG OUT OF THE RIVER.WE SPOKE WITH THE WOMAN WHOCALLED 911.SHE DESCRIBES THE RESCUE.>> HE JUST STARTED RIGHT OUT.AND RIGHT AWAY, HIS FEET WEREGOING THROUGH THE ICE ANDEVERYTHING.AND HE WALKED ALL THE WAY ACROSSUNTIL HE REACHED THE OTHER SIDEWHERE IT WAS REALLY SOFT, AND HEWENT IN AND HE GOT THE DOGSIOBHAN: THE DOG WAS REUNITEDWITH ITS OWNER SHORTLY FOLLOWINGTHE RESCUE.POLICE SAY THIS COULD HAVE BEENMUCH WORSE.

A Rochester police officer is credited with saving a dog that fell through ice in Rochester, even after he fell through the ice himself.

"Such a wonderful thing to see how they do that and how much they care," said Ginny Murphy, who called 911 when she spotted the dog.

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She witnessed the whole rescue on the Cocheco river behind her home. She said she heard a dog yelping as it struggled in the icy water. She called 911 and said a police officer arrived within minutes.

"He just started right out and right away his feet were going through the ice and everything,"Murphy said. "And he walked all the way across until he reached the other side where it was really soft and he went it and he got the dog."

The officer was able to tread water and bring himself and the dog to the river bank and out of the water.

"And then he stayed with him the whole time and he was soaking wet and patting him and everything," said Murphy.

Firefighters arrived and helped to warm the dog up before it was returned to the owner. Murphy said she's seen this particular dog around the neighborhood.

"I see him on one side and then he'd go running up the river and go up on the other side," she said.

"It's very important not only for pets, to keep pets of the ice, but to keep people off the ice as well," Rochester Police Capt. Jason Thomas said.

Police said they're grateful the officer was able to get out on the water on his own.

"We're glad that this didn't turn into a person rescue of an officer as well," Thomas said.

Police said Murphy did the right thing calling 911 instead of going after the dog herself. They urge pet owners to be aware of the dangers of thinning ice.